Device for setting, shaping, and renovating hats.



No. 856,458. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907. L. FLICKBR.

DEVICE FOR SETTING, SHAPING, AND RENOVATING HATS. APPLIOATVION FILED AUG. 27, 1906.

1n: NORRIS PETER: (70 WASHINGTON, a. c.

' cal section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS FLICKER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed August 27,1906. Serial No. 332,138.

T0 at whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, Lotus FLIGKER, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angelcs and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-Generators for Setting, Shaping, and Renovating Hats, of which the following is a specification.

Heretofore in the renovation and re-configuration of felt hats the practice has been to first heat the felt by any convenient means before placing it on the shaping board for alterations of shape. The operation of first heating the hat has been found to be essential to the successful alteration of the hat, as the heat renders the felt soft and pliable. The above described operation has been found to be somewhat imprztcticable on account of the cooling of the felt while conforming or altering it to a desired shape. By my improved device the necessity of having independent heating means is eliminated and I am enabled to complete the operation of the alteration of hats without frequent reheatings.

My invention relates to combined heating, conforming and renovating means for hats and an object thereof is to combine in one distinct apparatus all the essential means for the renovation of hats.

A further object is to provide a device which is simple in construction and highly efficient in operation.

I accomplish these objects by means of the device described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l .-is a central vertical section of my improved device. Fig. 2. is a central verti- Fig. 3.is a central vertical section of the muffled steam nozzle.

The device consists essentially of a cylindrical boiler or generator 5 suitably secured on a stand or legs 6. The boiler 5 is provided with the usual safety valve, steam gage and water glass. Located beneath the bottom of the boiler is a gas burner 7 which is connected to the usual gas supply pipe 8 and is controlled by valve 9. The top of the boiler is shaped like the usual hat shaping boarr'l being convex in one direction as shown in Fig. 2,

and concaved in the other direction as shown in Fig. 1. The convexed curvature corresponding in shape to the under side of a hat from front to rear, while the concaved portion is approximately of the shape of the under side of a hat from side to side. The top portion of the boiler is covered with a fabric 5 which prevents the operator from burning his hands while operating on a hat. The boiler has the usual water inlet and outlet.

Attached to the upper portion of the boiler 5 is a steam outlet pipe 10 which has a controlling valve 11 and a steam sprayer 12. This sprayer is in screw threaded engagement with the outlet pipe 10 and the outer end is enlarged to form a chamber 13, the upper wall of which is provided with pcrlprations or outlets 14. The outer surface of the upper wall is covered with cloth and the interior of the chamber 13 is provided. with suitable packing 15 by means of which the steam is muffled and prevented from coming out in a stream.

To one side of the generator is attached a steam hose 16 which is provided with a regulating valve 17 and with a nozzle 18. The purpose of this steam hose is the restoration of the color of shop worn hats and also their renovation.

hen it is desired to reshape a hat in size as well as configuration a conformer which has been fitted to a head is placed within the hat which is then placed on top of the generator 5, the steam rendering the felt soft and pliable. The operator then uses the ordinary hand tools (not shown) by means of which he curls the brim into any desired shape. When it is desired to rebloek the crown a form is placed within the hat and it is held over the steam sprayer until the felt becomes soft and pliable enough to be formed into the desired shape.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have produced a device which renders the renovation of all kinds of hats an extremely simple operation.

Having described my invention what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A device of the class described, comprising figuration of a hat shaping and setting board;

a cylindrical boiler having a top of the conhave hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of Aug. 1906. a steam sprayer having muflling means, se-

cured to said boiler; and a gas burner e011- LOUIS FLIOKER" 5 nected to a suitable source of supply secured l/Vitnesses:

beneath said boiler. EDMUND A. STRAUsE,

vIn Witness that I claim the foregoing I G. E. HARPHAM. 

